Wednesday, May 30, 2012

ABC Channel 7 (WLS-TV) has released a video reporting on Chicago Police NATO Communications. Before Shortwave America presents that, it is important that a specific issue be covered here first.

Apparently, lots of people are whining and crying that Shortwave America is a "terrorist" information source that spouts "anti-police" rhetoric, and gives away sensitive police communications information. Specifically, this seems to be just a few of the people at a popular Chicago Police blog that cannot be named here due to the offensive name on the blog.

Shortwave America is a legitimate radio journalism website and audio program focused on RADIO COMMUNICATIONS. That is the whole point of this operation, to bring the public news and information about amateur radio, shortwave broadcast, HF Single-Sideband, and other radio related items.

NATO 2012 was an event covered by countless media outlets and those media outlets include independent writers / journalists (freelancers), independent media organizations, non-profit organizations, main stream media, etc. Many independent reporters own their own operations, however small or large they might be. The first amendment and public records acts cover the right of a person to report on anything they wish, so long as they are not actually telling people to commit harm or commit crime.

The courts nationwide have upheld a reporter's rights to present items that are of public interest, hold political, social, and / or artistic value, as well as items that are publicly newsworthy. Unencrypted radio traffic is not deserving of protection per the United States Federal Communications Commission, and especially that unencrypted radio traffic that can easily be obtained by several means ranging from freedom of information act requests, to I-Phone Apps, Internet Streaming of public safety radio, radio receivers known as "scanners", amateur radio equipment, word of mouth, by walking next to or standing by a police officer or other public safety employee with a radio that is openly audible, and real time media reports.

If it can be obtained on tape or other media storage by FOIA request,
and then be subsequently published once a person has their hands on it,
then there is no problem with reporting in real time because the
recording will only serve as confirmation of what was reported on.

A Chicago journalist named "Timmy" runs his own operation under the name of "Avondale and Logan Square Crime Blotter" in which he reveals radio traffic from several police districts on a daily basis. The community lauds "Timmy" as a hero for keeping the community up to date on criminal activity and beat meetings. Timmy has had to fight for his First Amendment right to publish as he sees fit as a way of giving back to the community.

Shortwave America gives back to the community on an international basis by publishing written and audio works relevant to radio, and that includes major events if and when command and communications traffic is known to be available. The public has a vested interest in staying informed of what is happening around them for their own safety and well-being. Reportage of everyday government activities and major special event related government activities serves as a check and balance of the people. "Originally, the First Amendment applied only to laws enacted by the Congress. However, starting with Gitlow v. New York, the Supreme Court has applied the First Amendment to each state. This was done through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment." - Wikipedia.

Freedom of the press

In Lovell v. City of Griffin, 303 U.S.444
(1938), Chief Justice Hughes defined the press as, "every sort of
publication which affords a vehicle of information and opinion."[86] Freedom of the press, like freedom of speech, is subject to restrictions on bases such as defamation law.

In Branzburg v. Hayes, 408 U.S.665 (1972), the Court ruled that the First Amendment did not give a journalist the right to refuse a subpoena from a grand jury.
The issue decided in the case was whether a journalist could refuse to
"appear and testify before state and Federal grand juries" basing the
refusal on the belief that such appearance and testimony "abridges the
freedom of speech and press guaranteed by the First Amendment."[87] The 5–4 decision was that such a protection was not provided by the First Amendment. (From WIKIPEDIA)

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of
grievances." - First Amendment, United States Bill of Rights.

That having been said, here is the ABC 7 video:

COMMENTS HAVE BEEN DISABLED FOR THIS ARTICLE DUE TO REPEATED THREATS OF VIOLENCE AND OTHER INAPPROPRIATE ITEMS BEING LEFT IN THE COMMENTS SECTION.

Monday, May 28, 2012

The SWLing Post has a new article up that talks about the relevancy of Internet Radio, otherwise known as WIFI Radio.In this article, the author asks a great question that Shortwave America would like to address. Re-thinking Internet Radio, Part 1.

"is internet radio “cheating?” Is it really radio?"

The answer to that is...WIFI Radio IS radio, it is simply put into a digitized format that uses servers as opposed to RF producing transmitters.

The article tackles another VERY GOOD reality: If the company that manufactured your WIFI radio goes out of business, your WIFI radio is nothing more than a paperweight due to the fact that the radio needs to connect to the company's servers via your home internet connection for its internal database to function.

In a conversation recently, the Founder and Owner of Shortwave America spoke with radio legend, Bob Zanotti of "Switzerland in Sound". The topic of the conversation was internet broadcasting. There seems to be a very well noted problem with some internet broadcasters in that they don't always have a good, professional filter in regards to their level of professionalism.

This writer and radio broadcaster couldn't agree more with Bob! Something I learned early on from my own observations and professional mentoring is that AUDIO QUALITY MATTERS as does your level of professionalism! Your presence needs to command respect of an audience. Commanding respect of an audience means thinking out what you want to say, and saying it well; it means speaking with confidence. This leads to a quick discussion about content, something this publication has spoken about in other articles. If you are going to produce a radio program, your content needs to be specific to the audience you want to reach, it needs to be solid and easily comprehended by your audience.

Some of the more experienced radio broadcasters can easily get on a mic and talk. Their experience has taught them how to do this and do it well. Here is another good point I want to discuss: just because you have an internet connection, a web cam, and a microphone doesn't make you ready for hosting a show. You need to think ahead about what you want to do, how you want to do it, and who is going to listen / watch. You need to have a plan for promoting your work, which means knowing WHERE you can promote yourself.

People who are naturally talented writers or actors tend to go well with radio because they know the value of presentation and they know how to promote themselves. You can be popular but never be profitable, and therein lies the dilemma of internet broadcasting. If you are going to devote yourself to this, you have to work full time at it and chase every opportunity, every idea for becoming profitable if you want to pay your bills and survive.

In my conversation with Bob the other day, I made the point that this is how careers sometimes start. Shortwave America is a good, realistic, example of that statement. You start from nothing, start small, and work it up from there. Each broadcaster has their own strategy, and that strategy is never publicly given away. Find your strategy and keep it a secret! This means finding your "groove" and sticking to it! The old adage, "Stick to your guns" applies well here.

The good thing about internet broadcasting: REAL radio stations do go to certain places to find new shows for their daily schedule, and they DO use the internet talent they find in various ways which range from asking them to program a new show for them to asking that talent to do other production work.

Shortwave America will be following the SWLing Post and will write a public response for each part they release on this topic.Thanks to Chris Freitas for the lead to this story!

Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio has a new relay station on board! Shortwave America is proud to announce that Malta University Broadcasting will carry Nash Holos with Paulette MacQuarrie starting June 9th, 2012 on frequency 103.7fm at 9pm Malta time, following News Hour from the BBC World Service!

Paulette MacQuarrie has been a rising star in the world of radio ever since the beginning when she started working on Nash Holos and has worked hard to deserve this new business relationship. For those who are recent new readers / listeners to Shortwave America will now learn a little bit more about Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio and its importance to the people of Ukraine.

Paulette (Pawlina) Demchuk MacQuarrie has hosted and produced Nash Holos on AM1320 CHMB Vancouver since 2000. This makes Nash Holos 12 years old as of this year! The program went into international syndication in 2010, and is also carried by PCJ Radio, China Airlines during international long-haul flights, and Paulette continues to write and do desk-top publishing, and also co-hosts an
internationally syndicated radio program with Keith Perron on the global
media industry which airs weekly on AM, FM, Shortwave and satellite
radio around the world. This is the Media Network Plus program, also featuring the Founder and Owner of Shortwave America, who sometimes fills in for Paulette and performs a weekly radio propagation forecast.

Thank you to the wonderful people at Malta University Broadcasting for choosing to have Nash Holos on their station! A grateful thank you also goes to Keith Perron at PCJ Radio for his work promoting the various talent featured on PCJ.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

On 19 May 2012, Chicago Blogger and Videocaster, Timcast, may have been raided by the Chicago Police Department without a warrant and without any exigent circumstance. At this time, it appears as if someone in the Timcast group of friends or Timcast himself were not home when the raid happened, but someone they were staying with who has a boyfriend on the Chicago Police Department had relayed the details of a raid that are now conflicting. This unidentified female apparently told someone in the Timcast group one story and then told Occupiers a conflicting story.

First, she said she was denied entry to the apartment and then she said she saw the police but did not make contact with them and walked away. Because of these conflicting stories and for his own safety, Timcast and their group are staying in a hotel tonight.

This reporter logged into the Livestream and asked Timcast about the raid details without any reply. The information printed here came from the details given during the Livestream. Later in the night on 19 May 2012, Timcast and the group were pulled over at gunpoint by Chicago Police. Timcast and the group state they have video of this incident. Shortwave America has that video here.

According to a statement by Timcast via the current Livestream, the video was either interrupted or deleted by Chicago Police during the stop before it could be recorded in the UStream archive. At this time, Shortwave America has learned directly from the Timcast livestream that Chicago Police are waiting to find out where Timcast and group are staying at and have plans to "meet him".

Other NATO Operations news comes as Chicago Police purposely run over a protester. Shortwave America was on-scene where the protester was hit. Chicago Police made absolutely no efort to check on the well being of the protester they hit. Shortwave America news correspondent, Dogstar7, has video which is now being demanded by Superintendent Garry McCarthy. Caution warning for disturbing footage.

Above is a photo of the Chicago Police Officer who was allegedly driving the van that hit the protester in the video. Photo compliments of @Freddy1229 on Twitter.

Due to threatening and inappropriate comments in this post, comments have been disabled.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Shortwave America knew that the mainstream media was not telling Chicago residents everything, and that they were being good sheeple to appease the whims of the united States Federal Government. Chicagoans have been asking questions for months now about why the security boundaries were drawn the way they were and just how NATO is operating inside their city boundaries under the protection of a whole slew of U.S. federal protection.

There is now photographic evidence on hand to back up the story that is being told here. These new and yet untold details will help you follow NATO while they convene in Chicago.

Let's start with the locations of the various Command and Communications Posts:

There are multiple sites starting at Navy Pier (Command and Communications site #1). The Hollyhock is stationed there, and her transponder HAS INDEED been turned off. At Navy Pier on the secure side of the Chicago Locks operations area is the U.S. Coast Guard Command and Communications operation.

Just behind this secure gate is the U.S. Coast Guard NATO Command and Communications Post

This U.S. NATO Command and Communications Post has VHF, UHF, EHF, SHF, and HF communications running

Here we see the communications and surveillance system at the U.S. Coast Guard NATO Command Post which visibly includes an inverted V wire antenna for HF communications.

Here we see the opposite side of the U.S. Coast Guard NATO Command Operation

The U.S. Coast Guard NATO Command Post tent, assumed to be a mess tent or maybe medical ops

U.S. Coast Guard equipment trailers for the NATO operation inside their Command Post

The next location (#2) is the Chicago Police Department boat house next to the Chicago Locks. In the photos below, we see the Coast Guard patrolling the locks and river side of the operation for NATO, and the Chicago Police boat house itself, along with some of the marine support vessels to include the Chicago Fire Department as always.

NATO Command and Communications location number three is the Chicago Museum Campus itself. The greater compliment of operations are based out of the Chicago Field Museum. In the photos below, we see the U.S. Secret Service, various other government agencies and also various consulates operating at the Field Museum.

Everything looks like a normal museum operation until you see the opposite side of the building facing Soldier Field

No snipers YET

The Chicago Shedd Aquarium, part of the NATO Command and Communications operation

This vehicle displays a U.S. Secret Service window placard, parked outside of the Field Museum

The U.S. Secret Service vehicle with the window placard above

U.S. Secret Service and other government agents enter and depart during busy NATO Command and Communications operations at the Field Museum on May 17th, 2012

U.S. Secret Service Agents briefly meeting in front of the Field Museum on May 17th, 2012. Yes, I overheard everything they said as I walked by.

These vehicles belong to the U.S. Secret Service, various consulates, and other government agencies. They are parked outside of the Field Museum

NATO Command and Communications operation number 4 is at the Burnham Harbor parking lot just across the way from Northerly Island and adjacent to the old McCormick Place. In the photos below, we see various members of the military / Homeland Security guarding the operation, meeting with superiors. We also see the greater cross section of the operation to include their communications and surveillance equipment which includes cellular and microwave frequency operation.

Next up is aviation and ground support operations! Many Chicago residents have witnessed the U.S. Coast Guard aggressively patrolling the skies, along with military and other helicopters. Shortwave America has not only photos, but the exact details on head of state and dignitary transportation operations. Other information includes that which is already publicly available data on the Homeland Security helicopters for all of you aviation enthusiasts.

Before we get to the photos, here is how the dignitary / head of state transportation is working! The military and Homeland Security helicopters meet the honored guests at area airports. Those airports are O'Hare, Chicago Executive, Rockford, and one other airport that is unconfirmed. They then fly the guests to Northerly Island (used to be Meigs Field) at Burnham Harbor, where they are are then transported under heavily armed guard using U.S. Government buses and unmarked vans to the old McCormick Place. They are then taken into and through that building to the new McCormick Place and they are also taken DIRECTLY to the NEW McCormick Place building thus bypassing the old McCormick Place and escorted into an entrance just to the North of the public entrance. (all of this was personally observed). This can also be confirmed by way of the NATO Security Transportation Plan PDF file at the Shortwave America NATO Communications Guide and Live Communications Coverage post.

Information above explains why they drew the street closures the way they did. Get it now? Museum Campus being used for operations, Burnham Harbor being used for operations, Northerly Island being used for operations, Lake Shore Drive and Balbo is staging for Chicago Streets and Sanitation equipment, etc.

The reverse order will be taken when NATO guests leave.

Here are the photos!!

Head of State, Dignitary, and Government employee transportation at the old McCormick Place

Government license plate on the buses, any questions?

Coast Guard patrol flies North and then South to 31st and Lake Shore Drive in repeat fashion

Unidentified chopper serving on May 17th 2012 as part of aviation operations for NATO

United States Military Helicopter Transportation for NATO

Close - Up of said NATO Chopper#1

U.S. Department of Homeland Security choppers in formation heading NORTH from Burnham Harbor on May 17th, 2012

Close - Up of Homeland Security chopper showing the variety of helos used for this operation

This formation went South to North and then back South to Burnham Harbor

Homeland Security chopper with side door open heading NORTH

A search of the U.S. FAA Aircraft Registration System revealed the information contained in the screen shots below:

Streets and San at Lake Shore Drive and Balbo. Lake Shore Drive is behind me in the photo.

Opposite side of Streets and San staging at Balbo crossing lake Shore Drive, Lake Shore Drive is behind me in the photo

Streets and San staging on Lake Shore Drive facing the lake front at Balbo

Burnham Harbor is absolutely empty of any water vessels

As I started further south to see what else I might find, this reporter crossed through the Chicago Police Gold Star Families Park, the Chicago Fire Department Memorial Park, and the walk was VERY surreal because you could FEEL the tension in the air as joggers and cyclists watchfully went about their daily exercize. No one wanted to make a friendly greeting to other people, even a smile and wave were seen suspiciously. At Lakeshore Drive and 31st street, I met up with a photog from the Chicago Tribune who told me that even the Trib was having trouble identifying the aircraft and determining their operations in regard to NATO. After seeing my photos, the photog called his office and told them my findings. Let's just say it was a very short conversation.

One important observation made through this day long trek was 7 to 8 foot high steel grate fences linked together were seen almost everywhere when it came to major roadsides and overpasses. The fence sections are approximately three to four feet across.

The greater amount of Federal resource and Law Enforcement presence was observed at the various Chicago Federal Buildings. What had previously been just a few vehicles here and there were now street lengths deep and even the local side streets / alleyways near the Federal buildings were packed with Federal Protective Service / Homeland Security Police vehicles.

Chicago Police Special Operations unit Officers hold a mini-conference with Homeland Security Police on one of the many near-by alleyways mentioned earlier

This reporter did speak to Homeland Security Officers who state that they expect the city to absolutely erupt in never before seen violence over the weekend. The officers spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. While speaking with the officers, it was observed that their radio transmissions are in the clear as of this time.

One other thing that is proven by this report: Taxpayers are INDEED on the hook for this NATO fiasco! All of this costs money, and it isn't coming from thin air! Hey, Rahmbo and Obummer....where are the funds coming from? WE WANT TO KNOW!!!!

Thanks to all of you for choosing Shortwave America as your up to date source for NATO 2012!